Adjustable conveyor apparatus and method for book block finishing machine

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets into a receiving member includes receiving member and a conveyor for conveying a plurality of sheets into the receiving member so that the sheets are stacked one upon another to form a book block. The conveyor can have a downstream end that is moveable relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member. The apparatus can also include an actuator connected to the conveyor that is operable to move the downstream end of the conveyor relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member.

FIELD

The described embodiments relate to an apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets that can be used in a book block finishing machine.

INTRODUCTION

Digital printing presses are an alternative to traditional offset printing presses and can be used to create multiple copies of a printed work. In some examples of digital printing presses, the printed content is applied to a continuous length of web, and the web is then cut and sorted to form a book. One method of converting the printed continuous web into a book involves the individual pages of the printed content (i.e., the book being printed) being cut, separated and stacked into book blocks. A portion of the digital printing press known as the finishing machine or book block finishing machine can perform at least some of these operations.

Finishing machines can take a considerable amount of time to allow for a format change (i.e., to accept a different book block size and shape), which requires the associated digital printing press to also stop for a period of time. This can reduce some of the “change-on-the-fly” advantage of digital printing presses.

SUMMARY

This summary is intended to introduce the reader to the more detailed description that follows and not to limit or define any claimed or as yet unclaimed invention. One or more inventions may reside in any combination or sub-combination of the elements or process steps disclosed in any part of this document including its claims and figures.

According to one broad aspect of the invention, an apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets into a receiving member includes receiving member and a conveyor for conveying a plurality of sheets into the receiving member so that the sheets are stacked one upon another to form a book block. The conveyor can have a downstream end that is moveable relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member. The apparatus can also include an actuator connected to the conveyor that is operable to move the downstream end of the conveyor relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member.

Optionally, the downstream end of the conveyor is moveable in a generally vertical direction and the second position is at a higher elevation than the first position.

The apparatus can also include a controller communicably linked to the actuator for automatically moving the downstream end of the conveyor between the first and second positions.

Optionally, the controller is operable to move the downstream end of the conveyor based on a height of the book block in the receiving member.

Optionally, the conveyor is movable between the first and second positions while conveying the plurality of sheets.

Optionally, in the first position the downstream end of the conveyor is at a higher elevation than the book block.

Optionally, second position is always at a higher elevation than the book block.

Optionally, the conveyor is displaceable in a lateral direction relative to the frame and the receiving member.

According to another broad aspect of the invention, a method of conveying a plurality of sheets into a receiving member includes a) positioning a downstream end of an adjustable conveyor at a first height; b) conveying the plurality of sheets toward a receiving member; c) depositing the plurality of sheets in the receiving member one upon another in a stack to form a book block; and d) raising the downstream end of the conveyor relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member so that the downstream end of the conveyor is always at a higher elevation than the stack of sheets in the receiving member.

Optionally, the method also includes adjusting the downstream end as the receiving member is filled so that the downstream end of the conveyor remains at generally a constant spacing above a top sheet in the stack.

Optionally, the method also includes automatically adjusting the position of the downstream end of the conveyor using an actuator controller by a controller.

Optionally, the method also includes using the controller to determine a desired rate of change of the elevation of the downstream end of the conveyor based on a rate at which the plurality of sheets are conveyed into the hopper.

Optionally, the method also includes removing the stack from the receiving member and returning the downstream end to the first height to begin stacking another plurality of sheets in the receiving member.

According to another broad aspect of the invention, an apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets in a book block finishing machine includes a frame and an upstream conveyor to convey a plurality of sheets in a machine direction. The apparatus can also include a downstream conveyor to receive a plurality of sheets from the upstream conveyor. The downstream conveyor can be movably mounted on the frame and includes a conveyor reference axis extending in the machine direction. The downstream conveyor can be selectably displaceable relative to the upstream conveyor in a transverse direction to align the conveyor reference axis with a reference axis defined by the plurality of sheets when the sheets are being conveyed in a machine direction by the upstream conveyor.

Optionally, the conveyor reference axis is a lateral centerline of the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the apparatus also includes a receiving member downstream from the downstream conveyor for receiving the plurality of sheets. The conveyor can be displaceable in the transverse direction relative to the receiving member.

Optionally, the apparatus also includes at least one transverse actuator drivingly connected to the downstream conveyor. The actuator can be operable to translate the downstream conveyor in the transverse direction.

Optionally, the apparatus also includes a controller communicably linked to the at least one transverse actuator to automatically adjust the transverse position of the downstream conveyor based on the location of the sheet reference axis.

Optionally, the downstream conveyor can include an upstream end for receiving the plurality of sheets and a downstream end. The downstream end of the conveyor can be movable relative to the receiving member between a first position and a second position, the second position being at a higher elevation than the first position.

Optionally, the apparatus can also include an elevation actuator drivingly connected to the downstream end for moving the downstream end between the first and second positions. The elevation actuator can be displaceable in the transverse direction relative to the frame with the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the apparatus can also include a nozzle apparatus mounted on the downstream conveyor for blowing a fluid between sequential ones of the plurality of sheets exiting the downstream conveyor. The nozzle apparatus can movable in the transverse direction with the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the apparatus can also include a jogging apparatus mounted on the downstream conveyor for jogging the plurality of sheets exiting the conveyor in the machine direction. The jogging apparatus can be moveable in the transverse direction with the downstream conveyor.

According to another broad aspect of the invention, a method of conveying a plurality of sheets in a book block finishing machine can include a) conveying a plurality of sheets in a machine direction on an upstream conveyor; b) displacing a downstream conveyor relative to the upstream conveyor in a transverse direction to align a conveyor reference axis of the downstream conveyor with a sheet reference axis defined by the plurality of sheets when the sheets are being conveyed in a machine direction by the upstream conveyor; and c) transferring the plurality of sheets from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the conveyor reference axis is a lateral centerline of the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the method also includes automatically adjusting the transverse position of the downstream conveyor to align the conveyor reference axis with the sheet reference axis using a transverse actuator drivingly connected to the downstream conveyor and a controller communicably linked to the transverse actuator.

Optionally, the method also includes transferring the plurality of sheets from the downstream conveyor to a receiving member and stacking the sheets in the receiving member to form a book block.

Optionally, the method also includes adjusting the vertical elevation of a downstream end of the downstream conveyor to adjust a vertical spacing between the downstream end of the downstream conveyor and the book block.

Optionally, the method also includes injecting fluid between sequential ones of the plurality of sheets entering the receiving member using a nozzle apparatus, the nozzle apparatus being moveable in the transverse direction in unison with the downstream conveyor.

Optionally, the method also includes jogging the plurality of sheets in the receiving member in the machine direction using a jogging apparatus, the jogging apparatus moveable in the transverse direction in unison with the downstream conveyor.

It is contemplated that any one or more of the aspects described above can be combined in a plurality of combinations or sub-combinations to provide a plurality of embodiments of the invention.

DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the applicant's teachings described herein and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings which show at least one exemplary embodiment, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an example of a transfer apparatus for use in a book block finishing machine;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 1 in a lowered position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 1 in an intermediate position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 1 in a raised position;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an example of a transfer apparatus that includes a sensor;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an example of a transfer apparatus that is translatable in the lateral direction;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 6 in a different lateral position;

FIG. 8 is a side view of another example of a transfer apparatus that is pivotable and translatable;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in a lowered position;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in an intermediate position;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in a raised position;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective end view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in a first lateral position

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in the first lateral position;

FIG. 17 is a perspective end view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in a second lateral position;

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8 in the second lateral position; and

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the underside of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 8.

Elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

Various apparatuses or processes will be described below to provide an example of an embodiment of each claimed invention. No embodiment described below limits any claimed invention and any claimed invention may cover processes or apparatuses that differ from the embodiments described below. The claimed inventions are not limited to apparatuses or processes having all of the features of any one apparatus or process described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses described below. It is possible that an apparatus or process described below is not an embodiment of any claimed invention. Any invention disclosed in an apparatus or process described below that is not claimed in this document may be the subject matter of another protective instrument, for example, a continuing patent application, and the applicants, inventors or owners do not intend to abandon, disclaim or dedicate to the public any such invention by its disclosure in this document.

As described herein, a book block finishing machine is any machine that is operable to receive an incoming, continuous printed paper web and convert the web into one or more book blocks. Generally, the incoming web is separated into a plurality of individual sheets of paper that advance through the machine in a machine direction (i.e. the general direction of travel of the web and/or sheets, for example as illustrated by arrow 100 in FIG. 1) and are collected and stacked in a receiving member, for example a hopper, to form a book block. The direction generally orthogonal to the machine direction can be referred to as the lateral or transverse direction.

For the purposes of this description, a book block comprises a plurality of sheets of paper, stacked in order, generally taking the form of a book without a cover or other permanent binding. Book blocks may be formed having a variety of physical dimensions (length and width) based on the requirements of the finished book (i.e., paper back, hardcover, coffee table book, etc.) and may contain a variety of numbers of pages depending on the length of the book being printed. Varying the number of pages in a book block may vary the height of the book block. While the term book block is generally used in this description to describe a plurality of pages arranged in order to form the text of a book, it is understood that the term book block also refers more generally to any collection of stacked sheets or pages, the contents of which may be a book or any other type of printed media, including flyers, catalogues, directories and manuals.

The incoming sheets that will form the book block can be initially supplied to the book block finishing machine as individual sheets, or as a generally continuous, moving web of paper (or other suitable material) upon which desired text and/or graphics is printed. Such an incoming web can then be separated into a plurality of sheets, which can then be arranged into one or more steams of sheets moving through the machine. Each stream of sheets can be fed into a hopper, in which the sheets are stacked to form the book block.

Optionally, the book block finishing machine may be configured to operate in an “on-line” capacity, in which the incoming web is received from a printing engine (digital or offset) in real time (i.e. the printed web exiting the printing press is fed into the book block finishing machine). Alternatively, the book block finishing machine may be configured to operate in an “off-line” capacity in which the incoming web is unwound from a spool or roll of pre-printed material, as opposed to coming directly from the output of a printing press. In either example, the web can be supplied to the book block finishing machine at a given linear velocity or web speed that can be expressed in absolute terms, for example the web can be traveling at ten linear feet per second, or in relative terms, for example the web and/or sheets can be traveling between about 400 and 800 sheets per minute (which may represent a variety of different velocities depending on the length of each sheet), or greater than 800 sheets per minute.

An example of such a book block finishing machine is the book block finishing machine described in PCT/CA2010/000832 (Speller et al.), filed Jun. 1, 2010 and entitled “Book Block Finishing Machine”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to FIG. 1 an example of an apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets that is suitable for use in a book block finishing machine is illustrated. In the illustrated examples the apparatus 102 can be provided as a discrete, or stand-alone unit that can co-operate with, or replace, other discrete units or modules in the book block finishing machine. Alternatively, the apparatus 102 can be incorporated as a sub-unit or sub-assembly within another unit in the book block finishing machine, including, for example, a batcher unit and a shingle and interrupt unit. In this example, the apparatus 102 is adapted to convey a plurality of individual sheets of paper 104 from an upstream portion of the book block finishing machine, for example an upstream conveyor 106 that may form part of a shingle and interrupt unit, to a downstream receiving member of the book block finishing machine, for example the hopper 108 that may form part of a batcher unit.

In the illustrated example, the apparatus 102 comprises a conveyor portion 110 that is moveably mounted on a supporting frame 112. The frame 112 supporting the apparatus 102 can be a stand-alone frame, or, as illustrated, can be integrated with the frame of the book block finishing machine.

The conveyor portion 110 includes a conveyor belt 114 that is movingly supported by an upstream pulley 116 and a downstream pulley 118, located at an upstream end 120 and a downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110, respectively. At least one of the pulleys can be driven by a motor, or other suitable drive mechanism (not shown), to drive the conveyor belt 114. The conveyor belt 114 can be formed from, for example, but not limited to, any suitably flexible material.

The conveyor portion 110 can also include a supporting table 126, about which the conveyor belt 114 travels. The supporting table 126 can provide structural stiffness for the conveyor portion 110, and can be formed as any suitable structure. Portions of the conveyor belt 114 can be in sliding contact with the supporting table 126 during operation.

When the plurality of sheets 104 reach the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion, they are ejected or discharged from the conveyor portion 110 and, in the illustrated example, are deposited into a receiving member, which in the example illustrated is hopper 108. In this description, the distance between the vertical elevation of downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 and the top surface of the contents of the hopper 108 is referred to as the conveyor spacing 130. This spacing 130 can represent the distance that a sheet will fall when it is transferred from the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 into the hopper 108. When the hopper 108 is empty (FIG. 2) the conveyor spacing 130 can be measured between the upper surface of the conveyor portion 110 (the point at which the sheets 104 exit the conveyor portion 110) and the floor 132 of the hopper 108. When the hopper 108 contains one or more sheets 104 (FIGS. 3 and 4), the spacing 130 can be measured between the upper surface of the conveyor portion 110 and the top sheet 128 in the stack of sheets 104 in the hopper 108.

If the distance 130 between the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 and the floor 132 of the hopper is large relative to the size of the sheets 104 on the conveyor, when the hopper 108 is empty the sheets 104 may tend to flutter, drift or deflect in the air as they are falling from the conveyor portion 110 into the hopper 108. Such motion may cause misalignment between sequential sheets 104 and/or between the sheets 104 and the walls of the hopper 108. Decreasing the distance 130 between the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 and the floor 132 of the hopper 108 may reduce such misalignment.

As the sheets 104 accumulate in the hopper 108, the thickness or height 134 of the resultant book block 136 (FIG. 4) will increase. Depending on the number of sheets 104 in the book block, the height 134 of the book block 136 may approach or exceed the initial spacing between the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 and the floor 132 of the hopper 108, which may cause binding or jamming as new sheets 104 are introduced into the hopper 108. Maintaining a desired vertical distance 130 between the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 and the top sheet 128 of the hopper 108 (i.e. the top sheet in the stack in FIGS. 3 and 4) may help reduce the occurrence of jamming and other similar problems. For clarity of illustration, the distance 130 has been exaggerated in the schematic drawings in FIGS. 1-4. In any given book block finishing machine, the distance 130 can be relatively smaller than the spacing illustrated in the figures, and can be generally the same as the diameter of the downstream conveyor pulley (for example pulley 118 in FIG. 1), or optionally can be set to be generally the same as the combined thickness of a few sheets at the top of the stack. For example, the spacing distance 130 can be selected so that it is generally equal to the thickness of 15-50 sheets in the stack. In other examples the spacing 130 can be less than the thickness of 15 sheets, or more than the thickness of 50 sheets in the stack.

In the illustrated example, the conveyor spacing 130 can be adjusted by moving the position of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 relative to the top sheet 128 of the hopper 108 as the sheets 104 accumulate in the hopper 108. Providing a vertically adjustable downstream end 122 on the conveyor portion 110 enables the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 to be positioned in a lowered position when the hopper 108 is empty (FIGS. 1 and 2) and to be moved to a raised position (FIG. 4) as the hopper 108 fills. Optionally, the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 can be moved while the sheets 104 are being deposited into the hopper 108 so that the conveyor spacing 130 remains generally constant throughout the filling process (see FIGS. 2-4).

In this example the upstream pulley 116 of conveyor portion 110 is pivotally connected to the frame 112 and the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion, including the downstream pulley 118, is free to move vertically relative to the frame 112. The downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 is supported by a conveyor elevation actuator 138 that is operable to change the vertical position of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110, between the lowered position and the raised position. The elevation actuator 138 can be drivingly connected to the supporting table 126, the axel or rod supporting the downstream pulley 118, or any other suitable portion of the conveyor 110.

Once a first book block 136 is completed, it can be removed from the hopper 108 to make room for a subsequent plurality of sheets 104 to be stacked in the hopper 108 to form a second book block. Once all of the sheets in the first book block have exited the conveyor portion 110 and, optionally, when the book block 136 is still partially within the hopper and is just starting to move downstream out of the hopper, the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 can be returned to its lowered position (or any desired starting position), from its raised position in order to begin stacking the second plurality of sheets in an empty hopper 108. Optionally, the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 can be moved while the first book block is being removed from the hopper 108.

Optionally, the movement of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 can be manually controlled, for example by a machine operator operating the book block binding machine, or at least partially automatically controlled by a controller 140 that is communicably linked to the conveyor actuator 138. The controller 140 can be a stand-alone controller (as illustrated) or, optionally, the controller 140 can be integrated with, or incorporated into, a book block machine controller or control system.

The controller 140 can determine the appropriate vertical position of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 using any suitable method. In one example, the controller 140 may determine the appropriate position of the conveyor portion 110 based on machine or sheet 104 material properties. For example, the controller 140 may raise the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 based on the expected thickness of the book block 136 (e.g., by counting the sheets 104 entering the hopper 108 and summing the thicknesses), or by the amount of time elapsed during a particular filling operation (e.g., the conveyor is gradually moved from the lowered position to the raised position every second). The controller 140 can also be connected to one or more sensors or other input devices that can provide data about the operation of the transfer apparatus 102 and/or other portions of the book block binding machine.

Referring to FIG. 5, one example of a sensor is an ultra sonic sensor 142 that is positioned above the hopper 108 and can be used to sense the height of the stack of sheets 104 in accumulated in the hopper 108. In this example, the sensor 142 can determine the height 144 of the top sheet 128 of the hopper 108 relative to the sensor 142, and the controller 140 can then determine the position of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 relative to the top sheet 128 in any suitable manner, including, for example by summing the distance 144 between the sensor 140 and the top sheet 128 and the distance 146 between the sensor 140 and the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110. Based on this determination, the controller 140 can automatically trigger the actuator 138 to raise or lower the downstream end 122 of the conveyor 110 in order to achieve a desired conveyor spacing 130.

The conveyor actuator 138 can be one or more of any suitable type of actuator, including, for example, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder and a ball screw. Optionally, the conveyor portion 110 can be biased to return to either of the raised or lowered positions when the actuator 138 is disengage, for example by using a spring or other resilient member. Alternatively, the actuator 138 can be configured to drive the conveyor portion 110 in both directions. Optionally, the conveyor actuator 138 can be continuously variable to move the downstream end 122 smoothly between the lowered and raised positions. Alternatively, the conveyor actuator 138 can be configured to move the downstream end 122 between a plurality of indexed positions intermediate the raised and lowered positions (e.g. 25% raised, 50% raised, etc.).

Optionally, to inhibit binding or jamming between sheets in the hopper 108 and sheets exiting the conveyor portion 110, the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 can be maintained at an elevation that is always higher than the elevation of the top sheet 128 in the hopper 108, so that the conveyor spacing 130 is always greater than the thickness of the sheets 104.

The rate at which the elevation of the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion 110 is changed can be selected based on a plurality of machine conditions and/or the traits of the sheets 104 being stacked, including, for example, machine speed (e.g., 400 sheets per minute), sheet thickness, sheet stiffness and total number of sheets expected to be stacked in the hopper 108 per book block 136.

Optionally, the downstream end 122 of the conveyor portion can also include a plurality of other elements, including, for example, air nozzles, forming rollers and jogging mechanisms. Some or all of these additional elements can be configured to engage the plurality of sheets 104 as they are ejected from the downstream end of the conveyor portion, and/or while the sheets are stacked in the hopper. Optionally, these additional elements can be mounted to the conveyor portion such that the additional elements can move in unison with the conveyor portion when the conveyor portion is pivoted. This may enable the additional elements to remain in a fixed vertical position relative to the sheets 104 being ejected from the conveyor portion 110 regardless of the vertical position of the conveyor portion 110.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, another example of apparatus 202 is illustrated. In this example, apparatus can include a conveyor portion 210 that is translatable in the transverse direction relative to other portions of the book block finishing machine. Aspects of the apparatus 202 are similar to those of the apparatus 102 described above, and will be marked using like reference characters indexed by 100. In these Figures, a plurality of sheets 204 being transferred by the upstream conveyor 206 are illustrated in a shingled (i.e., partially overlapped configuration) in which only a portion of each sheet 204 is visible from above. When the apparatus 202 is in use, the sheets 204 can continue in the shingled arrangement until they are deposited into the hopper 208. However, for clarity and to better illustrate the underlying features of the conveyor portion 210, only a single representative stream of sheets is illustrated on the conveyor 214 in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The apparatus 202 comprises a conveyor portion 210 that includes a conveyor belt 214 and a supporting table 226. The conveyor portion 210 is movably mounted to the underlying frame 212 so that the conveyor portion 210 can translate in the lateral direction relative to the hopper 206 and the upstream conveyor 206. In the illustrated example, the conveyor portion 210 is slidably supported by a pair of spaced apart rails 250 that extend laterally across the frame 212. A translation actuator 252 is drivingly connected between the conveyor portion 210 and the frame 212 to laterally shift the conveyor portion 210. The conveyor actuator 252 is illustrated as being a ball screw (with a corresponding nut affixed to the conveyor portion 210), but any suitable actuator can be used.

In some instances, such as, for example, if the downstream end 222 of the conveyor portion 210 includes a variety of additional elements (air nozzles, joggers, as described above), it may be desirable to align a reference axis 254 of the conveyor portion 210 with the lateral centre line 256 of the sheets 204 that are being conveyed into the hopper 206. Aligning the reference axis 254 of the conveyor portion 210 with the centre line 256 of the sheets 204, can help ensure that the additional elements affixed to the conveyor portion 210 are properly aligned with the sheets 204 as they enter the hopper 206.

In the illustrated example, the reference axis 254 of the conveyor portion 210 coincides with the lateral centerline of the conveyor portion 210. Optionally, in other examples, the reference axis 254 may not be coincident with the lateral centerline, but may be aligned with another feature on the conveyor portion 210.

Referring to FIG. 6, in some examples the sheets 204 being processed by the book block finishing machine can have a relatively large lateral width 258 that is close to the lateral width 260 of the hopper 208. In such examples, lateral centerline 256 of the sheets 204 can be approximately coincident with the lateral centerline 262 of the hopper 208 and the centerline 264 of the upstream conveyor 206. Optionally, a hopper reference position can be defined for the book block finishing machine, and may serve as a guide for depositing the sheets 204 into the hopper 208. In the illustrated example, the plurality of sheets 204 are edge justified relative to the hopper 208, so that one edge 205 of the sheets 204 abuts a side wall 209 of the hopper 206 when the sheets 204 are stacked in the hopper 208. This may help align and justify the stacked sheets 204 within the hopper 208. In this example, the hopper reference position is the position to which the centerline 256 of the sheets 204 should be aligned when the sheets 204 are properly justified, and is represented by hopper reference axis 266. In FIG. 6, the hopper reference axis 266 is coincident with the hopper centerline 262.

In this configuration, the conveyor portion 210 can be laterally centered so that the reference axis 254 is coincident with the sheet, hopper and upstream conveyor centerlines 256, 262, 264 and the hopper reference axis 266.

Referring to FIG. 7, in some examples the lateral width 258 of the sheets 204 being processed by the book block finishing machine can be relatively narrower than the sheets in FIG. 6. In this example, the hopper reference axis 268 and the centerline 256 of the sheets 204 may not be coincident with the lateral centerlines 262, 264 of the hopper 208 and upstream conveyor 206.

To align the conveyor portion reference axis 254 with the lateral centerline 256 of the narrower sheets 204 in this example, the conveyor portion 210 is laterally shifted (downward as viewed in FIG. 7), so that the conveyor reference axis 254 is laterally aligned with the centerline 256 of the sheets 204 as they exit the upstream conveyor 206. The sheets 204 are then conveyed along the conveyor portion 210 and deposited into the hopper 208 so that the lateral centerline 256 of the sheets 204 is aligned with the hopper reference axis 266.

In this configuration, at least a portion of the conveyor portion 210, for example a first side portion 268, can protrude laterally beyond the sidewalls, for example sidewall 209, of the hopper 208.

Like the conveyor elevation actuator 138 described above, the translation actuator 252 can be manually controlled by a machine operator, or automatically controlled by a controller 240 linked to the actuator 252 (FIG. 7). The controller 240 can be configured to control the lateral position of the conveyor portion 210 based on user input information, such as the width of the sheets being stacked, or sensed information collected from one or more sensors monitoring the stream of sheets 204.

Optionally, at least one sidewall of the hopper 208 (for example the upper sidewall as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 7) can be moveable in the lateral direction so that the geometric lateral centre line 262 of the hopper 208 can be aligned with the hopper reference axis 266 regardless of the width 258 of the sheets 204 being stacked.

Optionally, at least one of the sidewalls of the hopper 208, for example side wall 209 a, can be moveable in the transverse direction and can be configured to oscillate or vibrate in the lateral direction. In such examples, when sheets are flowing into the hopper 208 the sidewall 209 a can set to be wider (for example between one and two millimeters) than the sheets so as to not pinch them or impede their motion into the hopper 208. Once all the sheets are in the hopper 208, the sidewall 209 a moves to a position equal to or slightly less than the width of the sheets (for example, approximately 0.5 millimeters narrower than the sheets). The laterally squeezed sheets can then be removed from the hopper 208, for example by using a movable shuttle apparatus. Laterally squeezing the stacked sheets in this manner may help improve the alignment of the sheets in the lateral direction.

The lateral translation aspects of the transfer apparatus 202 can be used as an alternative to vertical pivoting aspects of transfer apparatus 102 to provide a transfer apparatus that can either pivot or translate if desired. Optionally, aspects of the transfer apparatus 202 can be used in combination with aspects of the transfer apparatus 102 to provide a transfer apparatus that can both pivot and translate relative to the other portions of the book block finishing machine. Nothing in this description limits a transfer apparatus including only one of, or both of, the pivoting and translating functions, or any features thereof, as described herein.

Referring to FIGS. 8-16, another example of an apparatus 302 is provided. Apparatus 302 can include a conveyor portion 310 that is both pivotable in the vertical direction (like apparatus 102) and translatable in the transverse direction (like apparatus 202) relative to other portions of the book block finishing machine. Aspects of the transfer apparatus 302 are similar to those of the transfer apparatus 102 described above, and will be marked using like reference characters in the 300 series. In the illustrated example, the transfer apparatus 302 is configured as a multi-stream transfer apparatus that is capable of handling four parallel streams of sheets 304, on four parallel conveyor belts 314. While only a single stream will be described in detail herein, each stream can have some or all of the same features. Further, in the illustrated example, the conveyor belt 314 comprises three separate conveyor belts 314 a, 314 b, 314 c (FIGS. 9, 16 and 18) that are spaced apart across each stream. However, any suitable conveying mechanism can be used.

The downstream end 322 of the conveyor portion 310 also includes some additional elements that are mounted on the conveyor portion 310 and movable in unison therewith. For example, referring to FIGS. 16 and 17 the apparatus 302 comprises a jogging mechanism 370 that can oscillate in the machine direction to jog sheets 304 entering the hopper 308. The apparatus 302 also includes a pair of air nozzles 372 that are operable to inject pulses (or streams) of air between sequential ones of the sheets 304 entering the hopper 308. In the illustrated example, both jogging apparatus 370 and air nozzles 372 are symmetrical about the reference axis 354. In this configuration, if the reference axis 354 is aligned with the centerline 356 of the sheets 304 on the conveyor 310, the jogging apparatus 370 and air nozzles 372 will be symmetrically aligned with the sheets 304 as they fall into the hopper 308. In the illustrated example the jogging mechanism 370 is a generally U-shaped, oscillating plate. Optionally, as illustrated, the jogging mechanism can be configured so that portions of the jogging mechanism, for example jogging arms 370 a (FIG. 15), extend into the space between adjacent ones of the downstream pulleys 318 of the conveyors 314 a-c. Providing jogging arms 370 a that are disposed between the conveyors 314 a-c may help inhibit sheets exiting the conveyors from getting caught between the conveyors 314 a-c as the sheets flow into the hopper 308.

In these Figures, a plurality of sheets 304 being transferred by the apparatus 302 is illustrated in a shingled stream (see FIGS. 9, 16 and 18, for example) in which only a portion of each sheet 304 is visible from above. When the transfer apparatus 302 is in use, the sheets 304 can continue in the shingled arrangement until they are deposited into the hopper 308. For clarity, the hopper 308 sidewall 309 (see FIG. 15) located toward the front of the illustrations has been removed from the drawing to enable the book blocks 336 and downstream end 322 of the conveyor portion 310 to be seen more clearly. In the assembled apparatus, the side wall 309 and other apparatuses (glue heads, clamps, etc.) would be installed in the appropriate locations.

The downstream end 322 of the transfer apparatus 302 is pivotable in the vertical direction between a lowered position (FIGS. 9 and 10), one or more intermediate positions (or a continuously variable range of positions, FIGS. 11 and 12) and a raised position (FIGS. 13 and 14). The conveyor portion 310 is controllable (either manually or automatically) to be moveable so that the conveyor spacing 330 remains generally constant, despite the fact that the elevation of the top sheet 328 in the hopper 308 increases as sheets 304 accumulate in the hopper 308 to form the book block 336. Vertical movement of the downstream end 322 of the conveyor portion 310 can be controlled by a ball screw actuator 338.

The apparatus 302 is also translatable or shiftable in the lateral direction. Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the downstream end 322 of apparatus 302 is shown in a first lateral position to accommodate sheets 304 of a first width (in the transverse direction). In this example, the hopper 308 is laterally sized to accommodate the sheets 304 such that the centerline 356 of the sheets 304 is aligned with the hopper reference axis 366 (which is also aligned with the hopper centerline). In this configuration, the conveyor portion 310 is aligned so that the reference axis 354 of the conveyor portion 310 is aligned with the lateral centerline 356 of the sheets 304 when the sheets 304 transferred from the upstream conveyor 306.

Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, the apparatus 302 is shown in a second lateral position to accommodate relatively narrower sheets 304. When handling narrower sheets (as explained in reference to FIG. 7), the centerline 356 of the sheets 304 can be closer to the near sidewall 309 of the hopper 308, as illustrated (toward the left/bottom of FIGS. 17 and 18). To align the reference axis 354 with the centerline 356 of the sheets 304, the conveyor portion 310 has been shifted laterally, to the right as viewed in FIGS. 15 and 17, or downward as viewed in FIGS. 16 and 18. In this configuration, a side portion 368 of the conveyor portion 310, including a portion of conveyor belt 314 a, protrudes laterally beyond the side wall 309 of the hopper 308.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 19, to facilitate the pivoting motion, the conveyor portion 310 is pivotally connected to longitudinally extending side beams 382, using brackets 384 at the upstream pulley 316 and can pivot about this point. In the illustrated example, the supporting table 326 includes a transverse stiffening member 374 that is non-pivotally connected to the frame. The stiffening member 374 can function as a fulcrum, or break, over which the upper surface 376 (see FIG. 18) of the table 326 can bend or flex (forming a living hinge-like structure) to enable vertical movement of the downstream end 322. The downstream end 322 of the conveyor portion 310 is slidably connected to and supported by a vertical rail 380.

To enable the lateral translation of the conveyor portion 310, in combination with the vertical pivoting, the ends of side beams 382 supporting the upstream end of the conveyor portion are slidably mounted on the upstream horizontal rail 350 a, and the downstream ends of the side beams 382 are slidably supported on the downstream horizontal rail 350 b. This enables the entire table 326 of the conveyor portion 310 to shift laterally. In addition, the vertical movement apparatus for supporting and driving the downstream end 322 of the conveyor portion 310 is slidably mounted on the downstream horizontal rail 350 b. In the illustrated example, the vertical rail 380 is slidably mounted on the downstream horizontal rail 350 b, so that the vertical rail 380, related actuator 338, jogging mechanism 370 and air nozzles 372 are all slidable in the lateral direction, as well as being movable in the vertical direction.

In the examples described herein the apparatus has been illustrated as being configured to convey a single stream of sheets toward a single hopper. Optionally, the apparatus can be configured to convey multiple, parallel streams of sheets toward multiple hoppers in order to simultaneously form multiple book blocks. Such multi-stream apparatuses can comprise multiples of the features described herein where appropriate (e.g., multiple conveyor belts to correspond to multiple streams, multiple actuators to move a larger mass, etc.) but need not include multiples of all features (i.e., a single controller can be configured to operate a multi-stream transfer apparatus). Any references made in the singular (i.e., a conveyor portion) are intended to include the plural (i.e., a plurality of conveyor portions) where appropriate. The number of streams the apparatus is design to handle may be based on the number of parallel streams of sheets that the book block binding machine is configured to cut and stack. In multi-stream examples of the apparatus, the apparatus may be operated as a single unit (i.e., all streams are simultaneously pivoted or shifted), or each stream may be operated independently (i.e., each conveyor portion can pivot and/or translate independently of the other conveyor portions).

What has been described above has been intended to be illustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. 

1. An apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets into a receiving member, the apparatus comprising: a receiving member; a conveyor for conveying a plurality of sheets into the receiving member so that the sheets are stacked one upon another to form a book block, the conveyor having a downstream end that is moveable relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member; an actuator connected to the conveyor and operable to move the downstream end of the conveyor relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the downstream end of the conveyor is moveable in a generally vertical direction and the second position is at a higher elevation than the first position.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a controller communicably linked to the actuator for automatically moving the downstream end of the conveyor between the first and second positions.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is operable to move the downstream end of the conveyor based on a height of the book block in the receiving member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the conveyor is movable between the first and second positions while conveying the plurality of sheets.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the first position the downstream end of the conveyor is at a higher elevation than the book block.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second position is always at a higher elevation than the book block.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor is displaceable in a lateral direction relative to the frame and the receiving member.
 9. A method of conveying a plurality of sheets into a receiving member, the method comprising: positioning a downstream end of an adjustable conveyor at a first height; conveying the plurality of sheets toward a receiving member; depositing the plurality of sheets in the receiving member one upon another in a stack to form a book block; and raising the downstream end of the conveyor relative to the stack of sheets in the receiving member so that the downstream end of the conveyor is always at a higher elevation than the stack of sheets in the receiving member.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting the downstream end as the receiving member is filled so that the downstream end of the conveyor remains at generally a constant spacing above a top sheet in the stack.
 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically adjusting the position of the downstream end of the conveyor using an actuator controller by a controller.
 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the controller to determine a desired rate of change of the elevation of the downstream end of the conveyor based on a rate at which the plurality of sheets are conveyed into the hopper.
 13. The method of claim 9, further comprising removing the stack from the receiving member and returning the downstream end to the first height to begin stacking another plurality of sheets in the receiving member.
 14. A apparatus for conveying a plurality of sheets in a book block finishing machine, the apparatus comprising: a frame; an upstream conveyor to convey a plurality of sheets in a machine direction; a downstream conveyor to receive a plurality of sheets from the upstream conveyor, the downstream conveyor being movably mounted on the frame and comprising a conveyor reference axis extending in the machine direction, and the downstream conveyor being selectably displaceable relative to the upstream conveyor in a transverse direction to align the conveyor reference axis with a reference axis defined by the plurality of sheets when the sheets are being conveyed in a machine direction by the upstream conveyor.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the conveyor reference axis is a lateral centerline of the downstream conveyor.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a receiving member downstream from the downstream conveyor for receiving the plurality of sheets, the conveyor being displaceable in the transverse direction relative to the receiving member.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one transverse actuator drivingly connected to the downstream conveyor, the actuator being operable to translate the downstream conveyor in the transverse direction.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a controller communicably linked to the at least one transverse actuator to automatically adjust the transverse position of the downstream conveyor based on the location of the sheet reference axis.
 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the downstream conveyor comprises an upstream end for receiving the plurality of sheets and a downstream end, the downstream end of the conveyor being movable relative to the receiving member between a first position and a second position, the second position being at a higher elevation than the first position.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising an elevation actuator drivingly connected to the downstream end for moving the downstream end between the first and second positions, the elevation actuator being displaceable in the transverse direction relative to the frame with the downstream conveyor.
 21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a nozzle apparatus mounted on the downstream conveyor for blowing a fluid between sequential ones of the plurality of sheets exiting the downstream conveyor, the nozzle apparatus being movable in the transverse direction with the downstream conveyor.
 22. The apparatus of claim 14, comprising a jogging apparatus mounted on the downstream conveyor for jogging the plurality of sheets exiting the conveyor in the machine direction, the jogging apparatus being moveable in the transverse direction with the downstream conveyor.
 23. A method of conveying a plurality of sheets in a book block finishing machine, the method comprising: conveying a plurality of sheets in a machine direction on an upstream conveyor; displacing a downstream conveyor relative to the upstream conveyor in a transverse direction to align a conveyor reference axis of the downstream conveyor with a sheet reference axis defined by the plurality of sheets when the sheets are being conveyed in a machine direction by the upstream conveyor; and transferring the plurality of sheets from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the conveyor reference axis is a lateral centerline of the downstream conveyor.
 25. The method of claim 23, further comprising automatically adjusting the transverse position of the downstream conveyor to align the conveyor reference axis with the sheet reference axis using a transverse actuator drivingly connected to the downstream conveyor and a controller communicably linked to the transverse actuator.
 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising transferring the plurality of sheets from the downstream conveyor to a receiving member and stacking the sheets in the receiving member to form a book block.
 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising adjusting the vertical elevation of a downstream end of the downstream conveyor to adjust a vertical spacing between the downstream end of the downstream conveyor and the book block.
 28. The method of claim 26, further comprising injecting fluid between sequential ones of the plurality of sheets entering the receiving member using a nozzle apparatus, the nozzle apparatus being moveable in the transverse direction in unison with the downstream conveyor.
 29. The method of claim 26, further comprising jogging the plurality of sheets in the receiving member in the machine direction using a jogging apparatus, the jogging apparatus moveable in the transverse direction in unison with the downstream conveyor. 